[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR45.29]

[Page 908-909]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 45_IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION MARKING--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart C_Nationality and Registration Marks
 
Sec.  45.29  Size of marks.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, each 
operator of an aircraft shall display marks on the aircraft meeting the 
size requirements of this section.
    (b) Height. Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this part, the 
nationality and registration marks must be of equal height and on--
    (1) Fixed-wing aircraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except 
that:
    (i) An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before 
November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, 
but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft 
is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;
    (ii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on a glider;
    (iii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on an aircraft 
for which the FAA has issued an experimental certificate under Sec.  
21.191 (d), Sec.  21.191 (g), or Sec.  21.191 (i) of this chapter to 
operate as an exhibition aircraft, an amateur-built aircraft, or a 
light-sport aircraft when the maximum cruising speed of the aircraft 
does not exceed 180 knots CAS; and
    (iv) Marks may be displayed on an exhibition, antique, or other 
aircraft in accordance with Sec.  45.22.
    (2) Airships, spherical balloons, nonspherical balloons, powered 
parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft must be at least 3 inches 
high; and
    (3) Rotorcraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except that 
rotorcraft displaying before April 18, 1983, marks required by Sec.  
45.29(b)(3) in effect on April 17, 1983, and rotorcraft manufactured on 
or after April 18, 1983, but before December 31, 1983, may display those 
marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, 
restored, or changed.
    (c) Width. Characters must be two-thirds as wide as they are high, 
except the number ``1'', which must be one-sixth as wide as it is high, 
and the letters ``M'' and ``W'' which may be as wide as they are high.
    (d) Thickness. Characters must be formed by solid lines one-sixth as 
thick as the character is high.
    (e) Spacing. The space between each character may not be less than 
one-fourth of the character width.
    (f) If either one of the surfaces authorized for displaying required 
marks under Sec.  45.25 is large enough for display of marks meeting the 
size requirements of this section and the other is not, full-size marks 
shall be placed on the larger surface. If neither surface is large 
enough for full-size marks, marks as large as practicable shall be 
displayed on the larger of the two surfaces. If any surface authorized 
to be marked by Sec.  45.27 is not large enough for full-size marks, 
marks as large as practicable shall be placed on the largest of the 
authorized surfaces.
    (g) Uniformity. The marks required by this part for fixed-wing 
aircraft must have the same height, width, thickness, and spacing on 
both sides of the aircraft.

[[Page 909]]

    (h) After March 7, 1988, each operator of an aircraft penetrating an 
ADIZ or DEWIZ shall display on that aircraft temporary or permanent 
nationality and registration marks at least 12 inches high.

[Doc. No. 2047, 29 FR 3223, Mar. 11, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 45-2, 31 
FR 9863, July 21, 1966; Amdt. 45-9, 42 FR 41102, Aug. 15, 1977; Amdt. 
45-13, 46 FR 48604, Oct. 1, 1981; Amdt. 45-15, 48 FR 11392, Mar. 17, 
1983; Amdt. 45-17, 52 FR 34102, Sept. 9, 1987; 52 FR 36566, Sept. 30, 
1987; Amdt. 45-24, 69 FR 44863, July 27, 2004]